Why should God bless America?

Why should God bless America?

Notwithstanding singer Kate Smith, what has America done more than many other nations to deserve such special attention from the Almighty? Could it be that God should bless America because we are one of his pet nations? Could it be that God likes us because we are only 5 percent of the world's population but we are able to consume 40 percent of the world's resources? Maybe God prefers capitalism and market driven economies more than socialist governments.

Other than myself, has anyone noticed that since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 that no politician can make a public statement or speech without ending the talk with "God bless America?" It has become a mantra as predictable as knowing when most politicians are lying (when their lips are moving!). And not only the politicians. "God bless America" has become the favorite "Amen!" of the preachers, especially the right of center variety. These guys actually do believe that God has pets and loves our nation more than any other nation.

Truthfully it could be said that God has a bias and does care for and love some more than others. According to the Scriptures, God has a primary concern and love for the poor. Third world nations and the poor in our world are first in line with God. Preachers should know this. They are either ignorant or they are deceitful. Given a choice, I would prefer that they were ignorant and that way could be receivers of God's grace and forgiveness.

According to the words attributed to Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament, the poor are God's favorite people. Given this, one might think that pious people would ask God to bless the world, and especially the impoverished part, instead of asking God to bless America. Comparatively, America is already blessed if consumption of the world's resources is an indicator.

Recently my good friend and founder of Habitat for Humanity International, Millard Fuller, spoke at the church where I serve as pastor. Millard and Linda Fuller travel the globe representing Habitat and speak to hundreds of thousands around the world. In his sermon at our small church, Millard said that Habitat has grown to the point that every 26 minutes a Habitat house is built somewhere in the world. He talked about speaking to literally tens of thousands of people at prayer breakfast gatherings around the United States. Recently he spoke to over 800 in Little Rock, Arkansas, where the governor of the state introduced him.

Millard told the small number gather at our church that in all the prayer breakfast gatherings that he has attended that prayers are offered to God on behalf of the governor, the president, the congress, the sheriff, the chief of police and various other people of note. Not once, Millard said, had he ever heard one prayer uttered on behalf of one's enemy. Jesus taught that praying for and loving one's enemy is a requirement for his disciples. Jesus taught that loving one's enemy is at the heart of the gospel he came to proclaim. Loving one's enemy does not mean to exploit and to harm and to kill the enemy. Abraham Lincoln said to destroy your enemy; make of him your friend.

Mostly people are involved with cultural religion where God and country are almost one and the same. This is called civil religion where one's country is approved of by God regardless of the nations behavior. Perhaps the Sunday morning pew warmers who come to be blessed by the choir music and the "God bless America" sermon might take their heads out of the sand and put their brains to work studying and learning for themselves what the Bible says and means. That way there would be less power and control over your lives by the priests and preachers among you. Try it! You may like it!

SHALOM!

8-11-03

This article was first published in the Gainesville Times August 11, 2003